Deterring theft of media recording devices by encrypting recorded media files

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for deterring theft of media recording devices. Input received from a sensor, or some portion of the input, is encrypted prior to storing a media file. A decryption key must be provided when the media file is to be played back. If the key is not provided, then the file is preferably still played back, but is played back in a degraded manner. For example, a background color or other filler may be rendered in place of the encrypted portion. Additional parts of the file may also be degraded during playback. By making the playback unpleasant for the listener / viewer, theft of the recording device will be much less desirable—yet recording can continue uninterrupted, thereby minimizing disruption to legitimate users. The disclosed techniques may also be used to deter theft of the recorded media.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to cryptography, and deals more particularly with methods, systems, and program instructions for encrypting media files to deter theft of a media recording device.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Media recording devices continue to evolve in terms of functionality and design, with a trend towards increased function and improved recording quality in smaller devices. Digital cameras, as one example, are becoming more compact while offering many useful features. Video cameras (also known as “camcorders”) are another example. Until recent years, personal or consumer-grade video cameras were large, cumbersome devices that displayed real-time feedback (i.e., in the eyepiece viewer) only in grayscale; these models have now been replaced with models that are relatively small and lightweight, and which display real-time feedback in full color.[0005]Consumer-grade digital cameras and vide...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]A further object of the present invention is to provide techniques for encrypting recorded media files in a lightweight manner.

[0015]In another aspect, the present invention provides for deterring theft of media recording devices by: capturing input with a media recording device; encrypting a portion of the captured input; and recording the captured input, including the encrypted portion, such that playback of the recording will be degraded unless the encryption can successfully decrypted. In this aspect, the encryption may use a public key to encrypt a shared key and use the shared key to encrypt the portion of the captured input. This aspect may further comprise playing back the recording, which preferably comprises: determining if a private key corresponding to the public key is available; decrypting the recording if the private key is available, and playing back a result of the decryption; and if the private key is not available, playing back that portion of the captured input which was not encrypted and playing back substitute information in place of the captured input that was encrypted.

Problems solved by technology

Until recent years, personal or consumer-grade video cameras were large, cumbersome devices that displayed real-time feedback (i.e., in the eyepiece viewer) only in grayscale; these models have now been replaced with models that are relatively small and lightweight, and which display real-time feedback in full color.

Once stolen, these devices may be nearly impossible to recover and return to their rightful owners.

Images